Winfield explained that the decision to set fire to certain stores along W. Florissant Avenue was strategic. Protesters targeted stores they felt were allied with the community, like the beauty store that was torched, citing mistreatment of local residents by business owners.

But Winfield says that the tragic situation has yielded some positive outcomes. “I think it’s been good for the community; it put a light on us.” He alluded to the people he would never have encountered if Mike Brown had not lost his life. “I’m glad that it brought the people together.”

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Her husband, David Whitt, who started the local Cop Watch chapter in Ferguson to film police activity, felt similarly, and talked about the way racial tensions in Ferguson have affected the black community. “They train us to hate ourselves. When I was in Berkeley with people who started Cop Watch, I told them that when you talk about coming to Ferguson to help, [they] have to understand that these are freed Americans that are still treated like slaves and are mentally still enslaved. ”

These are not rich people with overseas bank accounts, these are the real people of Ferguson, MO who have taken risks, opened businesses, and go to work every day to provide for their family. These are the people who create jobs and paychecks and contribute to the well-being of everyone in the community; productive members of the Ferguson community who are having their lives destroyed in the name of justice.

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The now famous footage of Michael Brown robbing Ferguson Market and pushing the owner out of the way as he steals cigars from his store only minutes before being shot.

Now we see the aftermath of the looting that took place as rioters destroyed their own town in response to the death of Michael Brown.

The man surveying the wreckage of the store who s the owner of Ferguson Market and Liquor. The now-famous owner who attempted to stop Michael Brown from robbing his store but was pushed away by the much larger Brown.